AL CENTRAL Royals reclaim first in division



Jose Lima led the Royals to a 6-3 win over the Indians.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Jose Lima has been baseball's best comeback story this year.
Six months after the Detroit Tigers released him with a 7.77 ERA and two months after starting the season with the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League, the former All-Star is 3-0 in Kansas City.
"I won 20 games," said the right-hander, who was an All-Star when he won 21 for Houston in 1999. "I didn't win them by accident."
Winning his third straight start, Lima held Cleveland to five hits and two runs in seven innings of Kansas City's 6-3 victory Tuesday night. He hadn't won three straight starts since '99.
"I won 37 in two years," he said. "I just want to go out there and try to do my job. Keep pitching and working hard, doing my homework, and every time they give me the ball do my job.
"I did it before. I can do it again."
Joe Randa had a three-run homer and a season-high four RBIs for the Royals, who moved past Minnesota back into first place in the AL Central.
Leadership role
Randa thinks Lima may be just the sort of savvy veteran that could be a great leader for the Royals' young pitchers.
"He's definitely been through a lot as an individual and as a pitcher," Randa said.
"He's set the tone. He's given us everything he's got, and the young guys can learn with the way he's pitched, in and out, working the hitters, not just trying to throw stuff. He's been great for this ballclub."
The same Cleveland lineup rapped out 31 hits in a doubleheader sweep the night before.
"It feels great to go out there and stop the bleeding," Lima said.
Lima's ERA fell to 3.20 in four starts with the Royals as he beat the Indians for the second time in two weeks.
"For the most part, he kept the ball down," said Cleveland's Casey Blake, who singled in the ninth to stretch his hitting streak to 12 games.
"He pitched backwards, throwing a lot of sliders and changeups in the hitter's count, getting you to chase. He's a pretty good story, the comeback he's making."
Lima gave up a leadoff triple to Coco Crisp, who scored on Matt Lawton's infield grounder, and a solo home run in the sixth to Lawton. He walked one and struck out two.
Mike MacDougal got two outs -- including Brandon Phillips' groundout to second with the bases loaded to end it -- for his 21st save.
Rough start
Ricardo Rodriguez (3-9) walked Michael Tucker leading off the four-run second and gave up a double to Aaron Guiel.
Angel Berroa hit an RBI groundout and Brent Mayne singled ahead of Randa's three-run homer.
Randa's RBI double made it 5-1 in the fourth and Carlos Beltran hit an RBI single.
Rodriguez gave up four runs on four hits and three walks in 12/3 innings, becoming the first Cleveland starter not to go into the fifth inning in 20 games.
"He had trouble commanding the ball," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said.
"He had to work real hard and his pitch count was getting up. I didn't want him to go one more batter. I don't want to put him in harm's way."
Notes
The Indians sent RHP Jose Santiago back to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, one day after calling him up, and brought up LHP Alex Herrera.
The Royals scheduled an MRI for RHP Kyle Snyder after he left Monday night's game after four innings with tightness in his shoulder.
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